Take Five to Stop Fraud: Politeness as a Shield

What's happened

Campaign Take Five to Stop Fraud urges Brits to resist politeness when faced with unsolicited requests. A majority say politeness keeps conversations going, aiding fraudsters. The initiative, backed by Craig Revel Horwood, highlights a rise in impersonation scams and emphasizes ending conversations quickly to verify identity.

What's behind the headline?

Key angles

• This update reframes politeness as a risk factor in fraud, not merely a social norm.
• The piece contrasts polite engagement with the need for rapid verification of identities.
• It foregrounds reported stats on impersonation scams and the campaign’s messaging to curb risk.

What to watch

• How credible institutions and law enforcement respond to impersonation scams in real time.
• The balance between courtesy and caution in everyday interactions.

Why it matters to readers

• Readers can protect themselves by ending uncertain calls and verifying legitimacy before handing over information.
• The message shifts from blaming individuals to empowering them with a practical rule of thumb.

How we got here

A UK-wide campaign, Take Five to Stop Fraud, has commissioned a survey revealing that politeness often keeps scammers on the line longer, allowing them to build trust and pressure for information or money. The campaign, backed by public figure Craig Revel Horwood, notes millions lost to impersonation scams and urges skepticism when approached by unfamiliar callers or entities.

Our analysis

The Guardian: The Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign outlines why politeness can fuel fraud, citing Opinium Research data and UK Finance figures. Independent reports detail the campaign’s statements and the personal anecdotes highlighting common scam tactics. CNBC and CNBC-affiliated writers examine everyday communication patterns that influence relationship dynamics in couples, which tangentially informs risk awareness in personal interactions.

Go deeper

• Should you end a call immediately if something feels off?
• What steps can you take to verify a caller’s identity quickly?
• How can workplaces reinforce safe phone practices without seeming hostile?

More on these topics

• Craig Revel Horwood - Australian-British professional dancer

  Craig Revel Horwood is an Australian–British professional ballroom dancer, choreographer, conductor, singer, author, theatre director and television personality in the United Kingdom. He is a patron of the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

• United Kingdom - Country in Europe

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.

• The Guardian - Newspaper

  The Guardian is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers The Observer and The Guardian Weekly, The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the S

• London - Capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom

  London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.1 million people in 2024. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.1 million. London stands on the River...